Drive mechanisms for surgical instruments

Abstract

A surgical instrument for use with a robotic surgical system includes a knife blade configured to cut tissue and a knife tube coupled to the knife blade and configured to translate to move the knife blade for cutting tissue. The surgical instrument also includes a gearbox assembly coupleable to a robotic surgical system and configured to translate the knife tube to move the knife blade for cutting tissue and a knife blade lock operably coupled to the gearbox assembly. The knife blade lock is movable from a locked position wherein the knife blade lock prevents translation of the knife tube to an unlocked position in response to coupling of the gearbox assembly to the robotic surgical system wherein the knife tube is permitted to translate to move the knife blade for cutting tissue.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A surgical instrument for use with a robotic surgical system, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a shaft extending distally from the housing; 
 a pair of jaw members disposed at a distal end of the shaft and configured to grasp tissue; 
 a knife blade configured to cut tissue grasped between the pair of jaw members; 
 a drive input disposed within the housing and configured to receive an input from the robotic surgical system to translate the knife blade; 
 a knife blade lock operably coupled to the drive input and defining an aperture through which at least a portion of the drive input extends, the knife blade lock configured to transition between a locked configuration wherein the knife blade lock engages the drive input to prevent the drive input from causing translation of the knife blade and an unlocked configuration wherein the knife blade lock is disengaged from the drive input to permit the drive input to cause translation of the knife blade; 
 an input shaft operably coupled to the drive input, the drive input configured to cause the input shaft to translate the knife blade in response to the input received by the drive input from the robotic surgical system; and 
 a gearbox assembly including:
 an input gear engaged to a distal end portion of the input shaft, wherein the input provided to the drive input from the robotic surgical system drives rotation of the input shaft when the knife blade lock is in the unlocked configuration to drive rotation of the input gear; 
 a central gear defining an internal threading and an external threading in meshed engagement with the input gear; and 
 a lead screw extending through the central gear and threadingly engaged with the internal threading of the central gear, wherein rotation of the central gear in response to the input provided to the drive input from the robotic surgical system translates the lead screw to translate the knife blade. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member disposed within the housing and operably coupled to the knife blade lock, the biasing member configured to bias the knife blade lock into the locked configuration. 
     
     
       3. The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the knife blade lock includes an annular body portion surrounding the aperture. 
     
     
       4. The surgical instrument according to  claim 3 , wherein the knife blade lock includes a plurality of protrusions extending from the annular body portion. 
     
     
       5. The surgical instrument according to  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of protrusions extend proximally from a proximal end of the housing when the knife blade lock is in the locked configuration. 
     
     
       6. The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the knife blade lock defines a plurality of teeth configured to interlock with a plurality of teeth defined by the drive input when the knife blade lock is in the locked configuration. 
     
     
       7. The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the knife blade lock is configured to be contacted by a surgical instrument interface of the robotic surgical system upon coupling of the surgical instrument to the robotic surgical system to transition the knife blade lock to the unlocked configuration. 
     
     
       8. The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaft includes an articulating section configured to articulate the pair of jaw members. 
     
     
       9. A surgical instrument for use with a robotic surgical system, comprising:
 a knife blade configured to cut tissue; 
 a knife tube coupled to the knife blade and configured to translate to move the knife blade for cutting tissue; 
 a drive input configured to receive an input from the robotic surgical system; 
 a knife blade lock operably coupled to the drive input and defining an aperture through which at least a portion of the drive input extends, the knife blade lock configured to transition between a locked configuration wherein the knife blade lock engages the drive input to prevent the drive input from causing translation of the knife tube and an unlocked configuration wherein the knife blade lock is disengaged from the drive input to permit the drive input to cause translation of the knife tube; and 
 wherein the knife blade lock includes an annular body portion surrounding the aperture, wherein the knife blade lock includes a plurality of protrusions extending from the annular body portion and wherein the plurality of protrusions each extend proximally from a proximal end of a housing when the knife blade lock is in the locked configuration. 
 
     
     
       10. The surgical instrument according to  claim 9 , further comprising an input shaft operably coupled to the drive input, the drive input configured to cause the input shaft to translate the knife tube in response to the input received by the drive input from the robotic surgical system. 
     
     
       11. The surgical instrument according to  claim 10 , further comprising a gearbox assembly including:
 an input gear engaged to a distal end portion of the input shaft, wherein the input provided to the drive input from the robotic surgical system drives rotation of the input shaft when the knife blade lock is in the unlocked configuration to drive rotation of the input gear; 
 a central gear defining an internal threading and an external threading in meshed engagement with the input gear; and 
 a lead screw extending through the central gear and threadingly engaged with the internal threading of the central gear, wherein rotation of the central gear in response to the input provided to the drive input from the robotic surgical system translates the lead screw to translate the knife tube. 
 
     
     
       12. The surgical instrument according to  claim 9 , further comprising a biasing member operably coupled to the knife blade lock and configured to bias the knife blade lock into the locked configuration. 
     
     
       13. The surgical instrument according to  claim 9 , wherein the knife blade lock defines a plurality of teeth configured to interlock with a plurality of teeth defined by the drive input when the knife blade lock is in the locked configuration. 
     
     
       14. The surgical instrument according to  claim 9 , wherein the knife blade lock is configured to be contacted by a surgical instrument interface of the robotic surgical system upon coupling of the surgical instrument to the robotic surgical system to transition the knife blade lock to the unlocked configuration. 
     
     
       15. The surgical instrument according to  claim 9 , wherein the portion of the drive input that extends through the aperture defined by the knife blade lock includes a distally-extending finger. 
     
     
       16. A surgical instrument for use with a robotic surgical system, comprising:
 an end effector assembly; 
 a knife blade configured to translate through the end effector assembly to cut tissue; 
 a drive input configured to receive an input from the robotic surgical system to translate the knife blade; and 
 a knife blade lock defining an aperture through which at least a portion of the drive input extends, wherein the knife blade lock is configured to releasably engage the drive input to prevent the drive input from causing translation of the knife blade, and wherein the knife blade lock defines a plurality of teeth configured to interlock with a plurality of teeth defined by the drive input when the knife blade lock is in a locked configuration.